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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Mr Tein Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called for calm on the wake of Monday’s attack on the Rivers State House of Assembly and the altercations that followed it.
Jack-Rich who is the the CEO of Belema Oil Producing Limited, called on the political gladiators in the state to sheath their swords and ensure that the crisis did not escalate to a stage that it could not be managed.
He said: ”At the early hours of October 30, 2023, I received multiple calls and reports of an immense attack and the desecration of Rivers State House of Assembly, being the beacon of democracy.
”It’s important to understand that keeping the temple of our democracy is a sacred oath we all took as political actors, irrespective of class. Therefore, any tendency to attack the legislature or hijack the Assembly is not for anyone’s security, rather a display of political weakness.”
He said that whenever the legislature comes under attack anywhere in the world, then democracy is threatened. ”We cannot afford to sacrifice the peace of the democratic journey on the alter of fear of dictatorship or authoritarianism.
”My appeal is peace, and for Rivers State to be allowed to key into President Bola Tinubu’s administration in order to take advantage of its economic master plan. This will enable the state to fix its economic policies to attract private capital development, in order to provide jobs for the youths who are currently struggling with massive unemployment.
”We cannot afford the crisis brewing to snowball into a more chaotic situation, which is capable of worsening the huge economic hardship in Rivers State,” Jack-Rich noted.
The Rivers-born philanthropist therefore, called for calm. ”Let all those involved sheath their swords in the interest of peace and development of our dear Rivers State,” he said.
The Rivers State House of Assembly was set ablaze by suspected political thugs on Monday following a threat by the some lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings against the Leader of the House, Edison Ehie, and Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.
